Stunning images of the Kilauea volcano eruption in Hawaii have wowed people all over the U.S. and the world, and led to surprising reminders for some Californians that the state has volcanoes of its own.

One underlying fact about some of these volcanoes is that California sits directly on top of the so-called Ring of Fire, which is responsible for earthquake and volcanic activity in a vast region touching coasts on the Pacific Ocean. Some of the countries on the Ring of Fire are Australia, Japan, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Chile.

What else should we know about California’s volcanoes? Here’s some quick facts.

19 or more volcanic areas in California

Not all volcanoes in California are monitored by the USGS, but at least 19 regions are on its radar. Those include:

Brushy Butte

Clear Lake Volcanic Field

Coso Volcanic Field

Eagle Lake Volcanic Field

Golden Trout Creek Volcanic Field

Lassen Volcanic Center

Lavic Lake Volcanic Field

Long Valley Caldera

Mammoth Mountain

​​​​​​​Medicine Lake

Mono Lake Volcanic Field

Mono-Inyo Chain

​​​​​​​Mount Shasta

​​​​​​​Salton Buttes

Silver Lake Volcanic Field

Soda Lakes

Tumble Buttes

Twin Buttes

​​​​​​​Ubehebe Craters

Seven are a potential threat

Depending on the size and proximity to populated areas, only a few volcanoes are considered a potential threat. Three volcanoes are considered a “very high threat”:

Is there a volcano in San Diego County?

The short answer: not anymore.

Geologist Michael Levenson said some 22 million years ago there was one in a region that is now part of Carlsbad. When that volcano became extinct, it created what’s called a “volcanic plug” and is now a popular hiking destination named Mount Calavera.

Why are we talking about volcanoes?

Volcanic activity on Hawaii began with a 6.9 magnitude earthquake last Friday but it has been the flowing lava, and everything it threatens and destroys in its path, that has renewed focus on civilization’s preparedness for volcano eruptions. If you haven’t seen those images, this video from the Associated Press captures lava flowing and spewing on the island.

Recent video from the air and on the ground captures the force of the lava flows spewing across sections of the Big Island of Hawaii. Lava flows from a new eruption that began Thur ...

At least at the moment, a more pressing concern than volcanoes across California is … earthquakes.

But often even the most seasoned seismology experts sleep through those.

Correction: This story previously stated that Hawaii sits on the Ring of Fire. As pointed out by a reader, California volcanoes are part of the Ring of Fire; Hawaiian volcanoes are formed from a different set of forces.